Renewal Applicant

Professional License Renewal

A valid Colorado professional license may be renewed every five years with six semester hours of college/ university credit or 90 clock hours of Professional Development (i.e. in-services, workshops, etc.) earned during the validity (from the issuance date to the expiration date) of your professional license.

Initial (formerly Provisional) License Renewal

An initial (formerly Provisional) license is valid for three years and may be renewed if the applicant has not been able to complete an approved induction program through a Colorado school district or BOCES. Renewal credit is not required.

Convert Initial License to a Professional License

A professional license may be issued to an applicant who holds a Colorado initial license and has completed a Colorado State Board of Education approved induction program. Contact the school principal or the district's Personnel/Human Resources office for information about an approved induction program. The only requirement to move from an initial license to a professional license is completion of an induction program. It is not necessary to complete renewal credit.

One-Year Interim Authorization Renewal

An Interim Authorization is issued to an out-of-state applicant (teacher, principal, and administrator) who does not have 3 years of full-time out-of-state K-12 work experience and has not passed the required Colorado content area exam. The Interim Authorization is issued for one year and is renewable only one time.

5-Year and 3-Year Substitute Authorization Renewal

Colorado Issues three types of substitute authorizations: a 1-year authorization, a 3-year authorization, and a 5-year authorization. A substitute authorization allows you to work in a Colorado public school as a substitute teacher. The substitute authorizations are issued without grade level or subject endorsement area designations.

1-Year Substitute Authorization Renewal

A one-year substitute authorization requires a high school diploma or equivalent.  Not all school districts in Colorado will hire an applicant who holds a one-year substitute authorization. The substitute authorizations are issued without grade level or subject endorsement area designations.